Prologue in Sermons: May 12

Woe To the One Who Becomes Rich in Himself and Not in God

May 12

(From the Life of Saint Epiphanios.) 
 
By Archpriest Victor Guryev

The Psalmist says: “The rich have become poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good thing” (Ps. 33). What do these words mean? The Prophet means that the Lord never abandons those who place their hope in Him. And we may add that they also mean this: woe to the one who grows rich in himself and not in God.

In the city where Saint Epiphanios was bishop, a famine once occurred, and there was great distress in that place. At that time there lived there a wealthy nobleman named Faustian, who possessed enormous stores of grain. He was a pagan. Epiphanios said to him: “Friend, sell me some wheat on credit, so that I may feed the starving. In time I will repay you.”

Faustian replied: “Go to your God, and He will give it to you.”

Epiphanios went to the church of the holy martyrs and all night long prayed to God with tears that He would feed the hungry. There was also there a pagan temple into which no outsider was permitted to enter, for whoever entered immediately died.

Prologue in Sermons: April 27

How the Rich Must Conduct Themselves in Order To Be Saved

April 27

(A homily of John Chrysostom, that one ought to show mercy first to one’s own household.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Once, after finishing the conversation with the rich young man, who, after the words of the Lord, “if you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21), went away from Him sorrowful, the Savior said to His disciples: “Truly I say to you, that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:23–24).

What does this mean? Does it mean that for the rich entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is almost impossible? No. Saint John Chrysostom, explaining the above words of the Lord, says that “Christ by these words does not condemn wealth, but those who are attached to it.” Therefore, the Lord in these words points not to the impossibility for the rich to be saved, but only to the danger of wealth in the work of salvation for those attached to it.

April: Day 20: Teaching 1: Venerable Theodore the Trichinas

April: Day 20: Teaching 1:
Venerable Theodore the Trichinas
 
(About Luxury in Clothing)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The now-blessed Venerable Theodore was the son of wealthy parents living in Constantinople, but he was not enticed by earthly goods, and, leaving the world, labored ascetically in the desert, in Thrace. He wore no other clothing except a coarse hair-shirt. The name “Trichinas” — that is, hair-shirt wearer — he received from the hair-shirt by which he wore down his body.

Glorifying the Venerable Theodore, the Holy Church sings:

“You showed yourself most wondrous in life, O wise father Theodore, having exchanged garments of hair for those beyond royal treasures which are on earth; for this reason you received heavenly clothing. Ever intercede for us, O Venerable one!” (Kontakion)

Prologue in Sermons: February 8

How the Rich Should Conduct Themselves in Order to Be Saved

February 8

(A Discourse of Saint Ephraim to the rich on almsgiving.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Saint Gregory of Nazianzus says: “He who makes poor use of his wealth is himself poor, just as is the one who willingly wounds himself with the sword which he carries for the avenging of enemies.”

If you are rich and wish to be saved, do not attach your soul to riches in such a way that, for their sake, you forget God, trample the law, and lull your conscience to sleep; but strive more and more by your deeds to glorify Him who bestowed them upon you (from the book Imperishable Food, p. 216).

How are these words to be understood?

The Hunger of the Poor and the Greediness of the Rich, According to Saint Basil the Great

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

(Address of His Eminence to the Educators of the Metropolis, delivered at the event of the Metropolis for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs in 2011.)

Saint Basil the Great was a great personality and exercised a profound influence not only on his contemporaries but also on later generations, down to our own time. Many people, when they wish to engage with theological, pastoral, ascetical, as well as scientific matters — namely medical, astronomical, and educational issues — turn to Saint Basil and refer to his texts, which are remarkable and possess a timeless relevance.

From an ecclesiastical perspective, Saint Basil was truly great. The title “the Great” was first bestowed upon him by his friend Saint Gregory the Theologian, with whom he studied in Athens and with whom he maintained a friendship and shared path in the years that followed. It is significant that this lofty eagle of theology — Saint Gregory the Theologian — recognized Saint Basil and called him “Great.” One can imagine what an extraordinary personality St. Basil was.

Prologue in Sermons: November 26

To the Rich

November 26

(A Sermon on the Punishment of Those in Power)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

To you, the wealthy, comes our message, and here is what we find necessary to say to you. The Lord teaches: "It is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven; it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:23–24). Thus, according to the Lord’s word, you see, it is difficult for you to be saved. But what should be done? For even if it is difficult, one must still be saved; after all, you are Christians. What, then, must you do in order to overcome all obstacles on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven and, on equal footing with other well-lived Christians, attain the crowns? It is precisely this matter that we intend to address to you.

Homily One for the Twelfth Sunday of Matthew (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily One for the Twelfth Sunday of Matthew
(12th Sunday of Pentecost)

By St. John of Kronstadt

At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? For no one is good except God alone. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:16–26).

August: Day 8: Saint Myron, Bishop of Crete

 

August: Day 8:
Saint Myron, Bishop of Crete
 
(How Should We Conduct Ourselves in Relation to Earthly Goods?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Myron, a farmer by profession, whose memory is celebrated today, was born and lived on the island of Crete and glorified his modest life with such high holiness that even during his lifetime he was honored by God with the gift of miracles.

At first he was poor, but by diligently working on the cultivation of the land, he acquired prosperity, which he treated as befits a true Christian: using only what was necessary for himself and his family, he distributed all the surplus of the harvest, with which God blessed his labors, to the poor, and he shared with them in full measure, never demanding a return. The extreme non-covetousness of the righteous worker was expressed, among other things, in the following case: he once found thieves in his threshing floor, who, having filled their sacks with stolen grain, were unable to lift this weight themselves. Saint Myron addressed the thieves with meekness, calmed them down and even helped them lift the sacks. By this act he won over these people to himself and directed them to the honest path. In general, for his piety and philanthropy he acquired such love and respect that he was elected a presbyter and then awarded the highest degree of priesthood, i.e., the episcopate, and served as a priest for a long time during the persecution of Decius, spreading his philanthropic and educational activities more and more. Thus, he lived to a ripe old age and died at the age of one hundred, around the year 350, having marked his life with great philanthropy and many miracles. He zealously taught his flock piety, strengthened the confessors of the Christian faith in the feat of suffering, and honored the memory of the martyrs who suffered during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Decius.